Two studies examined the hypothesis that geometric patterns in the facial expressions of anger and happiness provide information that permits observers to recognize the meaning of threat and warmth. A 1st study sought to isolate the configural properties by examining whether large-scale body movements encode affect-related meanings in similar ways. Results indicated that diagonal and angular body patterns convey threat, whereas round body patterns convey warmth. In a 2nd study, a set of 3 experiments using models of simple geometric patterns revealed that acute angles with downward pointing vertices conveyed the meaning of threat and that roundedness conveyed the meaning of warmth. Human facial features exhibit these same geometric properties in displays of anger and happiness.Mike Deaver, the self-styled "vicar of visuals," was the impresario of Reagan's visual choreography. In staging Reagan, Deaver spared no effort. At the 1984 Republican convention [the interior designer described his work for Deaver]. "Look, there are no square angles anywhere. Look at the chair: round top, curved legs. Look at the edge of the podium: no sharp corners. They're all rounded. Look at the lectern: curves everywhere. Rounded shapes are peaceful." Deaver wanted Reagan to come across as a soothing, reassuring presence. The podium backdrop conveyed a subliminal message of peaceableness. (Smith, 1988, pp. 414-415) Substantial bodies of research (e.g., Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 1989;Ekman, 1982;Izard, 1977) provide impressive support for Darwin's (1872) speculation that human beings express and recognize the primary emotions in uniform ways. Such systematic results, which are based on commonalities in the cross-cultural recognition of standard facial expressions of emotion, necessarily raise the question of the sources of these stable responses. Because these displays are formed by the movement of many individual facial features, it would seem that many individual stimuli need to be identified in order to recognize an emotional Portions of this article were presented at the 97th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, Louisiana, August 1989.We are grateful to Paul Sutherland, who graciously permitted us to observe his classes for several weeks and helped us understand how a dancer's body creates visual forms. We thank Dixie Durr, Virginia Brooks, and Susan Burck, who greatly facilitated our ability to undertake this study at an important early point in our work. We also thank Barbara Horgan, of the New \brk City Ballet, who made several critically needed tapes available to us. We are grateful to Hiram Fitzgerald, David Irwin, Norbert Kerr, and Rose Zacks, who read an earlier draft and made valuable suggestions regarding the study. Larry Messe, as always, finds new ways to provide generous assistance in the design, execution, and analysis of our work. We are also appreciative of the close attention provided by reviewers, whose questions and criticisms greatly helped us clarify our intentions.